|
Foundational Community Supports (FCS) is an initiative of Medicaid Transformation. It allows qualified providers to receive Medicaid reimbursement for delivering supportive housing and supported employment services for people with the greatest and most immediate social and health needs.
During the first full week of August, members of the Washington Health Care Authority Foundational Community Supports (FCS) joined our partners with Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA) and Department of Commerce at the annual conference, "Annual Addressing Homelessness Through a Public Health Lens," in Washington, D.C.
During the conference, the Housing Related Social Needs Program (HRSN) was a highlighted focal point. The team learned that, along with the state of Arizona, Washington is farther along in the development of our waiver project, and we were supporting other states with ideas on how to further their programs.
This was a great opportunity for our program to share lessons learned, learn ways that other states are initiating and running their programs, and provided intentional time for all of us to strategize each of our programs moving forward.
Our FCS Team returned to Washington State feeling humbled by the progress we have made and even more hopeful for the continuation of our waiver project.
Samantha Reimer with Washington Gorge Action Programs in Goldendale, Washington, is this month's celebrated FCS in the field feature.
Samantha was nominated by staff in recognition of her outstanding work ethic and strong leadership skills. Her dedication, professionalism, and ability to lead by example make a meaningful impact on both her team and the work they do every day.
Washington Gorge Action Programs (WGAP) serves as a community action agency for Klickitat and Skamania Counties. WGAP is a multi-purpose human services organization dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities address basic human needs.
Each year, thousands of people turn to WAGAP for short-term assistance and long-term solutions to help them take control of their lives and their futures.
Programs offering Nutrition Assistance, Emergency Housing, Domestic Violence Prevention, Care Coordination, Home Energy Assistance and Foundational Community Supports, and much more assure that WAGAP is meeting the promise of Community Action.
|
Nominate an FCS agency or Supportive Housing/Supported Employment specialist
Your work matters. Your stories inspire others. Think of the FCS Supportive housing and Supported employment specialists or organizations who you think deserve a little extra gratitude. We would love to highlight them in these newsletters.
Send your nominations at any time, including as much information about their impact as possible, like:
- Name of person/organization
- Their location
- Why are you highlighting them?
- Their picture (optional)
To nominate a person or agency, please email FCS by the last Monday of each month.
Share your fidelity story
Fidelity is more than a review process it’s a cornerstone of continuous quality improvement, helping programs learn, grow, and deliver the highest quality services. When we strengthen fidelity, we strengthen outcomes and that directly impacts the people we serve through more consistent support, stronger partnerships, and better paths to recovery and stability.
We would like to spotlight providers who bring fidelity to life in their work and share their stories across our network.
We’re inviting providers to submit short video clips (60-90 seconds) highlighting:
- Why you participate in fidelity, and/or
- How fidelity has supported continuous quality improvement and improved outcomes for the people you serve.
Simple, authentic videos recorded on your phone or computer are perfect; no editing required. Your story helps demonstrate how fidelity drives learning, collaboration, and lasting impact in supportive housing and supported employment.
To share your story, please email FCS by the last Monday of each month.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is most effective when it is delivered with consistency, clarity, and fidelity to evidence-based practices. The PSH Fidelity Model provides a shared framework that helps organizations align daily practice with the core principles of housing-first, person-centered, and recovery-oriented care.
For leadership, fidelity offers a clear lens for decision-making through supporting strategic planning, resource allocation, and policy development that reinforce housing stability and long-term outcomes. When leaders understand and champion PSH fidelity, they create the conditions for programs to move beyond compliance and toward high-quality, sustainable services that meet the needs of people with the most complex challenges.
For front-line staff, the PSH Fidelity Model translates values into actionable practice. It clarifies roles, sets realistic expectations, and supports consistent engagement approaches that respect tenant choice, autonomy, and dignity. Fidelity helps staff navigate complex situations such as balancing harm reduction with lease requirements or coordinating care across systems while maintaining focus on housing stability and wellness. When both leadership and staff use the PSH Fidelity Model as a common roadmap, it strengthens communication, reduces burnout, and ensures that PSH programs across Washington State deliver equitable, effective, and person-centered housing support.
The PSH Fidelity Model also supports continuous quality improvement across the system. By providing a structured way to assess strengths, identify gaps, and track progress over time, fidelity creates opportunities for learning rather than blame. It encourages collaboration between leadership and front-line staff, using data and lived experience to inform improvements in service delivery.
For Washington State HCA and its partners, embedding PSH fidelity into training, supervision, and performance review processes helps ensure that PSH remains responsive, equitable, and focused on what matters most, keeping people housed while supporting health, stability, and community integration.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team invites you to join us for our monthly office hours, the last Friday of each month.
Virtual office hours: the last Friday of each month, from 9 to 10 a.m.
Drop in to join the HCA trainers to learn about Medicaid documentation requirements to support FCS service activities. Our goal is to support staff in weaving in the 'Golden Thread' process to develop a seamless record that connects goals, life events, staff support, interventions and next steps that support Medicaid billing.
Let's create quality service plans and progress notes that support necessary services and activities that move program participants to achieve their goal of housing and employment.
Office hours will be held on Teams, the last Friday of each month from 9 to 10 a.m. The next scheduled office hours will occur Friday, February 27.
Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) funding now available
Webinar: Wednesday, February 4, at 10 a.m.
The Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team is excited to announce that the Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) funds are available as of Monday, February 2.
There have been a lot of changes with TAP, including the new Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) funding in addition to the TAP funding.
Wellpoint is hosting a training to go over these changes and address any questions.
Learn more about TAP and its changes and impacts.
Need to make changes to your contacts?
If you need to make updates or changes to your agencies' TAP contacts (who receive all TAP notifications) please submit your changes to the TAP inbox.
If you are a provider who is not yet contracted for TAP but would like to update your contract to include TAP services, please reach out to your FCS Program manager.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team are pleased to announce the bi-monthly Medicaid documentation training series return.
Next training: Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m.
This training is recommended for those who:
- Are new to providing Supportive Housing and Supported Employment services.
- Are interested in improving personal or agency documentation standards, especially around Medicaid billing requirements.
- Are considering participating in a fidelity review and would like more information on how to prepare for it.
We hope participants will come away with a thorough understanding of:
- How to keep interactions billable and how to document them as such.
- How comprehensive documentation enhances participant outcomes.
- The following elements of Supported Employment/Supportive Housing:
- Career profiles
- Job search and job support plans
- Disclosure forms
- Eligibility assessments and housing assessments
- Participant logs
- Housing and employment plans
Dates are bi-monthly into 2026 as follows (all sessions are from 1 to 3 p.m.)
- September 4, 2025
- November 6, 2025
- February 5, 2026
- April 2, 2026
- June 4, 2026
Please note: Future trainings will be presented via Teams
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team are excited to invite you to an eight-part learning community hosted by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)
Webinar: Friday, February 6, from 10 to 11 a.m.
FCS is convening a Learning Collaborative on Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) to strengthen the capacity of providers, community partners, and stakeholders in delivering high-quality housing and supportive services.
This collaborative will offer a structured forum for sharing best practices, addressing implementation challenges, and fostering innovation in PSH models. Through facilitated discussions, peer learning, and expert-led sessions, participants will gain practical tools to improve housing stability, health outcomes, and service coordination for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and behavioral health challenges across Washington State.
Topics
- Long-term solutions, not quick fixes: Supportive housing focuses on permanent stability, moving beyond temporary shelter to lasting change for individuals and communities
- Partnerships are essential: Successful supportive housing depends on collaboration between housing providers, health care systems, behavioral health services, and community organizations
- Community strengthening: Beyond ending individual homelessness, supportive housing builds healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities
- Housing is healthcare: Stable housing is foundational to improving health, recovery, and overall well-being
This is an eight-part series, occurring from 10 to 11 a.m. the first Friday of each month. Upcoming sessions: March 6, 2026; April 3, 2026; May 1, 2026; June 5, 2026
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions to present the February supportive housing webinar
Webinar: Wednesday, February 11, at 11 a.m.
Documentation in supportive housing is more than a requirement; it’s a reflection of how we see and support the people we serve. This webinar will explore recovery-oriented documentation practices with a focus on using hope-centered, strengths-based language while still meeting organizational and funding expectations. Designed specifically for supportive housing staff, this training will offer practical tips, real-life examples, and easy-to-use strategies to help transform everyday notes into documentation that promotes dignity, empowerment, and recovery.
Objectives
- Define recovery-oriented documentation and explain why language matters in supportive housing settings
- Identify hope-centered, strengths-based language while recognizing common documentation pitfalls
- Apply practical strategies to reframe and translate real-world documentation examples into clear, recovery-oriented notes that meet requirements while honoring a person's autonomy and dignity
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions to present the February Innovations in Career Services webinar
Webinar: Thursday, February 12, at 9 a.m.
There are a variety of web-based tools to help job seekers identify their work interests, values, and preferences. We will review the different web-based tools available to support career development, and we will define strategies for selecting career assessment tools based on job seekers’ needs.
During this session, we will demonstrate using web-based assessments and resources to assist job seekers in their career decision-making and selecting employment. Additionally, we will spend some time discussing successes and challenges and providing support to one another in addressing obstacles to job development.
Objectives
- Describe a variety of web-based methods to assist job seekers in identifying work interests and values
- Choose career assessment tools/strategies based on job seekers needs
- Demonstrate using career assessment tools and strategies with job seekers
Webinar: Thursday, February 12, at 1 p.m.
Balance of State (BoS) Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Entry (CE) 101 training is a learning session that provides a high-level overview of Coordinated Entry, its history, equity in CE, core elements, and more. The audience for this is BoS CoC new CE staff, seasoned CE staff who might want/need a refresher, or anyone interested in learning what CE is.
If you can't make the February session, the next CE 101 training is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Registration details for this May session will be available closer to the date.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with meeting details.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions present this February Cultural Responsiveness Learning Community webinar
Webinar: Tuesday, February 17, at 3 p.m.
This 90-minute webinar is designed to enhance practitioner knowledge of culturally responsive best practices in mental health services. Attendees will be introduced to an adaptation of the SAMHSA designed Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery (APPR) workbook.
APPR, a SAMHSA-modified version of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), is an evidence-based practice that staff in FCS programs can use to help diverse individuals with mental health conditions build culturally meaningful wellness and recovery skills.
Participants will learn how to use a practical, fill-in-the-blank workbook that supports wellness planning, early identification of distress, and culturally responsive crisis planning.
Objectives
- Describe APPR as a SAMHSA-modified version of WRAP and an evidence-based practice for FCS programs
- Use culturally attuned APPR tools to support diverse individuals with mental health conditions
- Apply culturally responsive action-planning strategies in FCS service settings
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) invite you to join us for the monthly Supported Employment Coordinating Committee (SECC).
Webinar: Wednesday, February 18, from 9 to 10 a.m.
The SECC is intended to improve the employment rate for people with behavioral health and other challenges. The current SECC was originally the Olmstead Policy Academy, started in 2013, to create a strategic plan to improve the employment rate for people experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues. The SECC carries on with the same intent and a wider audience.
We still have much to do to improve employment rates and support Medicaid recipients' return to work. In each meeting we will discuss new ideas and strategies as well as receive training on various programs and projects.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team is kicking off 2026 with another round of our FCS 101 monthly trainings
Webinar: Wednesday, February 18, from 10 a.m. to noon
This training is intended to provide you with an introduction to the FCS program. The FCS Team will be offering the FCS 101 training on the third Wednesday of every month from 10am-12 noon. It is an open and supportive space to get a basic introduction to all things FCS Supportive Housing and Supported Employment. We enthusiastically encourage providers to learn more about the variety of programs and services supported by FCS, as well as an introduction to the Washington FCS team and answer questions you may have.
Objectives
- Learn about Foundational Community Supports
- Get an overview of supported employment services
- Get an overview of supportive housing services
- Connect with HCA’s FCS Team
Upcoming 2026 FCS 101 trainings: March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18, December 17
Already taken FCS 101? Check out FCS 102, focused on supervision.
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions are hosting this February training webinar
Webinar: Wednesday, February 18, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Supported Employment (SE) and Supportive Housing (SH) staff in FCS settings routinely engage with individuals who have experienced significant trauma. Additionally, FCS staff frequently navigate crisis response, housing instability, employment stressors, and system pressures that impact wellness. This training equips supervisors to intentionally use trauma-informed supervision as a protective, stabilizing, and performance-enhancing practice. Drawing on established trauma-informed supervision frameworks, participants will explore how supervision can reduce vicarious trauma, strengthen psychological safety, and support staff effectiveness without turning supervision into therapy. The training emphasizes reflective, supportive, and ethical supervision practices that balance staff well-being with effective service delivery in FCS community-based programs.
Objectives
- Describe the core principles of trauma-informed supervision
- Identify the common impact of trauma work on SE and SH staff, including vicarious trauma, burnout and recognize early warning signs in supervision
- Identify how to use supervision as a prevention tool to support staff wellness, sustain workforce capacity and promote high-quality services in FCS employment and housing programs
- Apply trauma-informed supervisory strategies without crossing into a therapeutic role
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions is hosting this February Supportive Employment monthly topical training
Webinar: Thursday, February 19, at 8:30 a.m.
Financial wellness has a tremendous impact on overall quality of life. In this session, we will explore the domain of financial wellness (one of the eight dimensions in Peggy Swarbrick’s 8D Wellness model, adopted by SAMHSA).
For many individuals, increasing financial well-being goes hand-in-hand with attaining desired roles as a worker or a student. This session will explore the impact of financial wellness on all other wellness domains and will provide tools and resources useful for building skills in financial wellness.
Objectives
- Define financial wellness
- Identify skills in developing financial wellness
- Understand and effectively utilize available resources in promoting financial wellness
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions is hosting this February training
Webinar: Monday, February 23, at 10 a.m.
FCS staff routinely support people experiencing housing and employment instability, psychiatric symptoms, and systems barriers-often in high-stress, unpredictable situations. Without emotional safety skills, chronic exposure to crisis can lead to burnout, boundary strain, documentation errors, and staff turnover.
Staying grounded in crises provides practical, real-world tools that help Supportive Housing and Supported Employment staff stay regulated, grounded, and effective during client crises. Participants learn how stress impacts decision making, how to recognize personal escalation patterns, and how to apply simple, grounding, boundary, and recovery strategies that protect both staff well-being and service quality.
Objectives
- Understand how crisis stress affects the brain functioning, decision-making and documentation quality
- Recognize early signs of escalation and burnout risk
- Use in-the-moment grounding and emotional regulation tools
- Apply boundary strategies that prevent over-functioning and compassion fatigue
- Implement quick recovery routines that support retention and fidelity
Strategies for supportive housing providers
Webinar: Monday, February 23, at 10 a.m.
Join CSH health and Medicaid experts for an informative session on the new Medicaid work requirements introduced under H.R.1. These work requirements could threaten continuous health care coverage for supportive housing tenants who rely on Medicaid for their healthcare and supportive services, especially people with disabilities and older adults.
In this webinar, our experts will outline key policy changes that impact state implementation of Medicaid work requirements and how Medicaid recipients and their providers can prepare for these changes. We will also share practical strategies to influence your state’s implementation and protect Medicaid coverage for the people who need it most.
Objectives
- Learn new Medicaid work requirements introduced under H.R.1.
- Discuss practical steps that providers can take to minimize Medicaid coverage loss for supportive housing residents.
- Gain resources from national groups to help navigate implementation challenges at the state and provider level
This webinar is designed for housing providers, housing operators, services providers, or advocates who are leveraging Medicaid funding to support residents.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) and Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Individual Placement and Support (IPS) present this virtual training series
Webinar: Tuesday, February 24, 2026, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
These virtual trainings cover the eight practice principles of IPS Supported Employment. New staff in IPS programs, case managers, and clinicians are welcome to join.
The trainings are available at no cost. Each training covers the same material.
IPS is a multidisciplinary team of researchers and trainers who conduct research studies, disseminate findings, prepare training and educational materials, and provide training and consultation services. The center’s activities focus on employment for people with serious mental illnesses. Learn more about IPS.
Upcoming 2026 IPS webinars: (February 24), March 10, March 24, April 14, May 12, May 26, June 9, June 23.
Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports (FCS) team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions present the Buried in Treasures learning community one Thursday a month, January through June, and invite you to join
Webinar: Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 1 to 2:15 p.m.
Join the Buried in Treasures Learning Community, a monthly interactive forum designed to help Washington State Foundational Community Supports (FCS) providers support individuals experiencing hoarding behavior. Grounded in the acclaimed self-help manual Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding, this learning community offers a respectful, harm-reduction-based approach that recognizes the emotional significance of belongings and the challenges of change.
Each session will explore practical tools, peer learning, and strategies rooted in cognitive-behavioral techniques, motivational enhancement, and trauma-informed care. Participants will gain real-world knowledge, skills, and resources to engage people with empathy, foster self-directed progress, and create supportive environments where individuals feel empowered—not judged—to take meaningful steps forward.
Whether you’re new to this subject or want to improve your skills in helping clients with complex needs, this community will help you build your ability to support individuals struggling with clutter, acquiring, and discarding. While access to Buried in Treasures (2nd edition) is recommended, it is not required to participate.
Upcoming Buried in Treasure 2026 webinars: March 27, April 23, May 22, June 25.
Webinar: Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 1 to 2 p.m.
A popular topic that the Northeast ADA Center gets asked about is service animals. It can be confusing for individuals with disabilities, businesses, transit providers, and the public to know what rights a person with a disability has under which law, in which places, and what’s required. This webinar will discuss what is a service animal or an assistance animal, and where these animals can or cannot go.
The Northeast ADA Center has a toolkit about service animals in public spaces. It helps businesses to understand these working animals and their handlers’ rights.
This webinar may be used for a 1-hour CEU credit
|
